Our Opinion: First Night continues to delight Springfield

Those in search of fun, affordable family entertainment to help ring in 2014 today may look no further than First Night, a Springfield holiday tradition since 1987.

Sponsored by the Springfield Area Arts Council, First Night is a New Year’s Eve festival that takes place at numerous downtown venues throughout the evening and into the night.

This year’s event features musicians, singers, dancers, actors, a juggler, puppeteers, hands-on projects, a DJ dance party, fireworks and lots of other activities to delight children and adults.

First Night is an excellent way to support the local arts and entertainment community, as well as an opportunity for children, families and friends to spend the evening together without all the hype and expectations of other types of New Year’s Eve parties.

“We’re trying a lot of new activities – bigger, fresh, new activities,” arts council board president Craig McFarland told The State Journal-Register.

The events get started this afternoon with free children’s activities from 1 to 4 p.m. at Springfield High School.

At 5 p.m., acts will set up on several stages throughout downtown, including at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St.; Grace Lutheran Church, southeast corner of Seventh Street and Capitol Avenue; Lincoln Public Library, northeast corner of Seventh and Capitol; First Presbyterian Church, northwest corner of Seventh and Capitol; and the Great Hall at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency building at 313 S. Sixth St.

Entertainment lasts until 11:15 p.m., and admission buttons, which can be purchased at the door, are required. Proceeds benefit a variety of arts council programs, including Poetry Out Loud, the Artist on the Plaza summer performance series downtown and grants to area arts groups.

Fireworks will take place at 8 p.m. at Fourth Street and Capitol Avenue.

First Night began in 1975 in Boston as a way to celebrate the city’s local culture and as an alcohol-free alternative to more traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations. The idea caught on across the country, and Springfield rang in 1988 with its inaugural First Night celebration.

Now in its 26th year locally, First Night is an annual anchor for Springfield’s festival scene, and few give a second thought to the absence of alcohol at the party. Springfield is lucky this popular, family-friendly holiday tradition lives on.